


Let There Be Light

by theskywasblue



Series: 12 Days of Christmas Challenge [3]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Christmas, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-05-18
Updated: 2010-05-18
Packaged: 2017-10-09 13:08:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/87836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theskywasblue/pseuds/theskywasblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Iruka learns something new about the village</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let There Be Light

**Author's Note:**

> For the 2006 12 Days of Christmas challenge on the Kakiru community at LiveJoural

Iruka exhaled a long-held breath, sending a cloud of steam high into the dark night, and wrapped his arms tightly around his chest to keep the heat in. He leaned back against the frost-coated railing and scowled at no one in particular.

He had expected Kakashi to be late – but really, when it was this cold out Iruka felt the other man should have at least made an effort to arrive on time, instead of leaving him to freeze to death. Not to mention the fact that he was hungry and downright exhausted from a double shift at the mission desk.

_Five more minutes_, Iruka told himself, drumming chilled fingers on frozen metal, _then I'll go home. Something must have come up._

But Kakashi _never_ stood him up, never left on a mission, even and emergency one without sending him some notice. There was a possibility, Iruka thought, that he was waiting in the wrong place, but as far as he could tell, the lamp he was standing under was the only one in the entire park that was burnt out.  
_Just because I tell him he can't possibly get any weirder, he doesn't have to take it as a personal challenge._

It wasn't his imagination either. Kakashi was acting more strangely than usual. It had been nice of him, of course, to share those pictures of his – embarrassing to be sure, and Iruka had had to ask him to 'please get rid of' the one of Mizuki and him together; which had resulted in a contrite apology that hadn't been strictly necessary – but still, the sentiment had been nice. And the cookies…Iruka's mouth watered just thinking about them.

Iruka had been trying his hardest, but he still didn't have any insight into why Kakashi was acting so – maybe desperate was the right word – desperate for Iruka to be happy.

Which definitely wasn't necessary.

Iruka didn't want to force the issue, because if it was something really serious Kakashi might shut down emotionally – like what happened every time someone mentioned Sasuke – but Iruka didn't want to let it lie either. He had even gone so far as to ask Gai about it, which had resulted in much loud gesticulating about "The Passion of Youthful Romance"…an experience that Iruka definitely did not want to repeat…

"Yo."

Iruka jumped, startled out of his troubled thoughts, fingers fluttering against his kunai holster for an instant before he recognized the chakra signature of the figure crouched atop the nearby lamp post.

"Sorry I'm late," Kakashi dropped down, landing silently in front of Iruka, smiling bashfully, "but you see, there was this traffic jam of reindeer…"

Iruka rolled his eyes in a long-suffering fashion, though he couldn't keep the smile from his face. He had told Kakashi a hundred times that there was no need for him to make excuses, but old habits are hard to break.

"Actually, it was the line at the hot chocolate stand," Kakashi admitted, offering him a paper mug, which Iruka accepted gratefully, "I thought you might be cold."

Iruka sipped the steaming liquid gingerly and squeezed Kakashi's empty hand, "You're a life-saver."

They shared a companionable silence for several long minutes, fingers tangled, standing close enough together that Iruka could feel the warmth radiating off Kakashi's body. The park was almost completely silent save for the rustling of some small animal in the bushes nearby, and the sounds of the village below seemed strangely far away. For a moment it seemed like the world was only the two of them, hand in hand with the sweet smell of hot chocolate floating in the air between them.

If not for the fact that he was tired, hungry and cold, Iruka would have let that silence go on forever.

"Kakashi…why did you bring me out here anyway?"

The Jonin smiled, and Iruka fought off the urge to pull down the mask and kiss him, because there was no telling who might be watching, "I wanted to show you something."

"Like what?"

"Turn around."

Frowning, Iruka spun on his heel, not knowing what exactly he was supposed to see because really, it was only the village, and the Hokage faces were behind them…

Iruka would have had hot chocolate all over his toes if Kakashi hadn't been there to catch the cup. The market district below them was a mass of red, green and gold, decked out lights and garlands, glowing and glittering so brightly that Iruka's eyes almost hurt, but too beautiful for him to look away.

"How did I…It's so…How did I not know about this?"

Kakashi laughed, wrapping his arms around Iruka and pressing tight to his back, "Ever do guard duty on the wall over the holidays?"

"I don't think so."

"Well, there's your answer pretty baby," Kakashi's cheek was delightfully warm against Iruka's own. A few minutes later when Iruka twisted around and kissed him, his lips were even warmer.

-End-


End file.
